GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1430

Short Title:  Old Salem Funds.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senators Kerr; Cochrane, Horton, and McDaniel.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Appropriations.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

May 28, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR RESTORATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORIC ST. PHILIPS CHURCH AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA HERITAGE EDUCATION CENTER AT OLD SALEM.
Whereas, the State of North Carolina has a rich and diverse religious and cultural heritage which is exemplified by Old Salem; and
Whereas, the Moravians who founded Salem in 1766, carried with them a religious heritage as ancient as any in the Protestant tradition, as well as a knowledge of agriculture, architecture, skilled crafts, and industry; and
Whereas, the history of the African-American community at Old Salem can be traced to the abandoned and deteriorating remains of the St. Philips Church, which was built during the 1860s and served as the location where the Emancipation Proclamation was read to African-Americans by an officer of the Union Army; and
Whereas, other related facilities such as the old log church dating from the 1820s need to be reconstructed for the purpose of preserving historical evidence of the religious heritage of this State; and
Whereas, plans have been made to construct the North Carolina Heritage Education Center to be used to orient and educate the more than 55,000 North Carolina school students and 400,000 other visitors from North Carolina and other states who visit Old Salem each year; and
Whereas, the trustees of Old Salem, Inc., have committed to a $25 million campaign to provide for these and other restorations and improvements at Old Salem; and
Whereas, the further development of Old Salem as a vehicle through which to interpret North Carolina's religious and cultural heritage to its people will help instill in its people the values which have been the source of its success and will have the additional benefit of drawing additional travel and tourist revenues and jobs to our State; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to Old Salem, Incorporated, a nonprofit corporation, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the restoration and development of the St. Philips Church and the construction of the North Carolina Heritage Education Center at Old Salem.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1998.